


Rain Falls Upward

by shit_shippers_say



Category: Good Mythical Morning, Rhett & Link, Video Blogging RPF, rhink - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Girlfriends/No Wives, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Good Mythical Morning - Freeform, M/M, Mythical Beings & Creatures
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-30
Updated: 2017-01-10
Packaged: 2018-09-12 23:45:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9095869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shit_shippers_say/pseuds/shit_shippers_say
Summary: "See ya in the morning."It was a normal thing to say, usually, but this time it held more meaning. It was a promise that they would both wake up, together, and healthy the next day.





	1. The Beginning of the End

**Author's Note:**

> I had the sudden urge to write a Zombie Apocalypse fic with a side of dads worrying about the crew. It's been done a lot and it's cliche` but whatever. Enjoy, I guess :)

It'd started out just like any other December day in LA; sunny and cool. Peaceful, even.

"Thank you for liking, commenting, and subscribing." Link said, leaning his elbows on the smooth wood of the table, the surface of which was currently covered in glitter and little strips of paper from their latest endeavor into gift-wrapping.

"You know what time it is." Rhett nodded toward the camera, leaning back in his chair. He was never sure why, but he always tried to do the opposite movement as Link. Maybe it was to even out the frantic and dramatic movements of his best friend.

The wheel ending went as usual; the two of them putting themselves in an, oddly suggestive, position while simultaneously taking any and all opportunities at physical contact. It usually held a concerning amount of homoerotic undertones. Although, that didn't faze the southerners anymore. After living in LA for so long, and having increasing numbers of close friends, who happened to identify as LGBTQ+, really had its effect on people.

In the midst of all the commotion, a loud, piercing tone sounded from their producer, Stevie's, pocket. 

"I thought it was on silent, sorry." The girl murmured as she tugged the device from her jeans and clicked the home button.

"No big deal, Stevie, we should probably end the More here, anyway." Rhett said, putting the ribbon down on the messy table. He turned to his left and laughed as he helped Link remove the shiny and glittery strips from his head and arms. "Sorry 'bout that, man."

"Oh, don't worry, I'll get my revenge on you." Link flashed a devilish grin at his best friend before laughing and throwing the ribbon into the trash.

Stevie's eyes hadn't left the screen of her phone, even after she'd unlocked it and read the feed. "This can't be real." She laughed, almost hysterically, down at her phone. "This must be some weird joke."

"What's wrong, Stevie?" Lizzie asked, scooting closer to peer over her shoulder. Her eyes scanned the headline and she started to laugh. She paused, again, a confused look spreading across her lips. "Fox News posted that?"

"Uh huh." Stevie said, catching her breath.

"Said what?" Mike asked, reading the headline for himself. "Would Fox News really post a joke like that, though?"

"Of course, they would." Stevie chuckled, before slowly stopping and glancing around at her co-workers. Her eyes flashed with something akin to fear, but it was replaced with disbelief just as quickly. "I mean, it has to be some kind of stupid joke, right? Just some kid playing a dumb prank on the people who watch the news and are big enough idiots to believe a zombie apocalypse is actually something they needed to worry about. Right?"

"A zombie apocalypse?" Link rolled his eyes and shook his head at them. "Y'all, you better be joking. That is not a real headline."

"Uh, guys..." Alex said, quietly, tugging at the edge of Mike's shirt. "You might wanna see this."

Mike walked over to Alex and looked at the video currently playing on his phone. It was a live feed of a news reporter, standing in the middle of a sidewalk by the Santa Monica Pier. She looked as though she was ready to make a break for the water from the fear in her eyes, but she kept speaking nonetheless.

"Countless reports of quote, 'undead disturbances', have been filed with the LAPD in the last 48 hours." The reporter informed, keeping a tight grip on the microphone handle. "Witnesses say they have been terrorized, and even attacked, by, what officials have deemed, the undead. Increasing numbers of these reports have been called in and, on one account, officers even arrived to find quote, 'nothing but the hand that had dialed the phone'. No public sightings have been documented and police are still unsure of whether or not these witnesses are telling the truth. Although, the 'nothing but a hand' story still has no solid explanation. Back to you, Randy." Alex quickly shut his phone and covered his face with his hands. 

Lizzie looked around, as if trying to find someone to give a logical explanation, but the only people at the studio that day were Mike, Alex, Stevie, Rhett, Link, and herself. No one would be able to give her a straight answer given that they'd all just heard, what seemed to be the craziest newscast any of them had come into contact with. 

Suddenly, Rhett stood up from his chair and walked over to the open window. Link followed close behind, taking long strides to stand next to the man. They'd seemed to have had the same thought, as they both froze in place upon seeing a crowd of people gathering along Sunset Boulevard. 

Mass hysteria seemed to have taken hold of the entire city block, tightening its cold claws around their throats as the clouds looming above gave way to a slow trickle of rain.

"I'm going to check this out." Rhett said, decisively, making his way toward the exit. 

"I'm coming with you." Link rebutted, right on Rhett's heels.

"No, stay here." The blond spun around and grabbed the man by the shoulders. "I'll be right back, I promise"

"You must be out of your goddamned mind if you think I'm gonna let you go out there alone." The shorter man said. "Don't try to be Big Man Rhett right now, okay? If this- thing- is real, then you could be putting yourself in some serious danger. For all we know, there could be an army of Undeads watching us, waiting to strike and take us all out."

"You're thinking way too much about this, man." Rhett whispered. "You gotta calm down. If it'll make you feel better, you can come with me, but I gotta know."

"Gotta know what?!" Link asked, desperately. "What do you need to know that is so important?"

"I need to know if this is real, man!" Rhett said, frantically. "We can sit here, trembling in fear of something that might be a freakin' prank, or we can go out there and learn for ourselves."

Link stared at the man in front of him, disbelief and fear pressing down on him like the weight of a mound of cement. Sifting through all his options, the brunet's mind settled on the awful thought of losing Rhett, forever, in a swarm of undead creatures.

"Then I'm coming with you." He finally said. "I'm not losing you. Not now."

"Okay, then." Rhett nodded, clapping a hand to Link's shoulder. "Let's do this together."

"I'm going too." Mike suddenly piped up from his place at Alex's side. "If anything happens to you two, I don't wanna be stuck here wondering where you went."

"Me too." Alex agreed. "I'd prefer not to be in the dark about this whole situation."

"I guess I will too." Lizzie mumbled. "I don't wanna see any zombies, but I definitely don't wanna be stuck in here, waiting to die."

Stevie glanced between the five pairs of eyes staring her down and sighed. "Okay, fine, I'm going too. But only because I wanna find the little creep who thought this joke would be funny."

As Rhett lead the pack of them out the doors to the cold, damp outside world, Link's heart felt as though it would fall from his chest at any moment. It was quiet and deafening all at once, and the brunet was struggling to fight the urge to run back inside. He wasn't even fully convinced that the studio was safer than the street at this point, he just really wanted it to be.

Rhett's arm outstretched itself to keep Link on the same plain as him as they walked. There were distant sounds of gargling moans and agonized groans that gave all of them the worst chills. 

They make it most of the way through the silent crowd of apprehensive people before it all goes to hell. It seemed to happen in slow motion for them, even though everything was probably happening all at once.

Alex was the first to see it, his body freezing up mid-stride as the color drained from all his features. 

"Alex? What's wrong?" Mike asked, stopping next to his friend and following his line of sight.

The others did the same and, immediately, it was as though the whole crowd spotted it at once. There, slouching no less than twenty feet from them, limping from a nearby alleyway, was a sickly green figure that appeared to once have been a man. Its teeth were chipped and brittle and Its bones seemed twisted in such a way that elicited a grinding and splintering noise from the joints where tissue and muscles should have been. The Thing's eyes were clouded and decomposing from the very sockets they sat in, rolling and shifting from side to side, never completely focusing on anything but also striking fear deep inside anyone who caught the deathly gaze. Though it was clear that there was no blood pumping through Its veins, they stuck out from beneath Its tissue paper-thin skin, throbbing and turning from blue to purple every time It made a move. There were sounds coming from Its mouth but they were completely unintelligible, most likely because Its trachea seemed to be decorating Its ribcage, laced between the porous and brittle bones.

Link's stomach fell and he had to reach out next to him and grab onto Rhett's solid frame to keep from dropping to his knees. 

There was chaos around them as people made frantic escapes to the nearest stores and apartment buildings to get away from the horrid Thing slowly moving closer. The pandemonium caused the crew to become separated and, no matter how hard Rhett tried, he could not find them anywhere, but he held tight to Link's forearm. He refused to lose the one person he knew he needed most to get through whatever hell their world had become.

Link's body refused to move even though every nerve ending inside him was screaming to get as far away from the Thing as possible. His heart was frantic and, if he hadn't been so preoccupied with the decaying being now only meters from where he stood, he would have been worried he was having some sort of heart attack. Link knew that Rhett was there because his right side was warm and protected, but he couldn't find the strength in him to turn and look at the blond.

"Link." Rhett whispered as the Thing's groans became louder to their ears. At this point, they were the only ones left in the street, even people who had been driving their cars down Sunset had abandoned the block to find safety. If one of those Things could cause that much horror and panic, Rhett wasn't sure he wanted to see the damage a hoard of Them would be capable of. "Link, I need you to relax. Hold my arm, and follow my lead."

Link could barely hear his best friend's words over the pounding pulse in his ears, but he tried his hardest to follow Rhett's instructions. Reaching out to hold the man's forearm, which he hadn't realized he'd let go of, in a vice grip. His eyes finally shifted up to meet the blond's gaze and what he saw solidified the fear that oh my god, this is real. Rhett's eyes held a different kind of fear than Link had ever seen in them, yet they also held a strange hint of protectiveness as he lead Link away from the Thing, slowly but surely. 

Once they were a sure enough distance away, Rhett broke into a run, dragging Link close behind. 

Now, Link wasn't the most graceful of people and, given the terrifying circumstances, this time was no different. He lost his footing just feet away from the street that would, hopefully, lead them back to the safety of their studio. As he tried to haul himself back up, he felt a harsh and slimy grip on his ankle. When he looked down, he saw sharp nails gripping at the fabric of his jeans and panic set in. In every apocalyptic movie Link had ever seen, the 'Infection' was always spread through some kind of direct bodily fluid exchange. If this Thing scratched him, that would be it. He would be succumbed to a blind hunger for flesh and blood. Who's to say he wouldn't kill someone he loved? Who's to say he wouldn't kill Rhett?

Link didn't have time worry, too much, though because a large pair of hands had wrapped around his upper arms and yanked him away from the cold grasp of the Thing. 

"Come on, man, I ain't losin' ya that easy." Rhett said, practically carrying his best friend toward the back lot of their studio. Punching the code into the keypad at the back door, Rhett hauled himself and Link inside, slamming the heavy, metal barrier shut behind them.

As they sat on the floor of the studio, catching their breath, Link began mumbling about their missing crew.

"They're still out there, alone, and probably fighting for their lives, Rhett!" The brunet all but sobbed to him. "What do we do? If they die, I can't help but feel responsible. They're all so young and they have their whole lives ahead of them. Lizzie and Mike and Alex and Stevie, oh my god, Stevie. She was so good at everything we made her do! She was going great places, man, they all were-"

"Will you stop?!" Rhett burst, grabbing hold of Link's shoulders. "They ain't dead, man, they're smart. They'll make it out of this alive way better than we did. Have faith in them. You said it yourself, they're going great places. Let's just hope that one of those great places is right back here with us, okay?"

Link simply nodded, sobs still tearing through his body. He felt small with Rhett's huge hands holding him, but it wasn't a bad feeling. He felt protected and safe when he was with Rhett. The man had just saved his life, after all.

Rhett stared at his best friend and watched the tears fall, slowly, down his cheeks. It hurt him to see Link like this and not be able to do anything about it. The initial fear and panic had subsided, slightly, in the both of them but, for whatever reason, Link's body refused to cease its deep sobs. Rhett's hands shot out, off their own accord, and pulled Link's small frame forward to the taller's chest. 

"C'mere." He whispered, softly, holding his best friend to his chest. "It's gonna be alright, buddyroll, it's gonna be alright."

"How can you be so sure?" Link asked, shakily. "Rhett, we might not make it out of this alive. We have no idea how much longer we have."

"Well, to be fair, we had no idea before." Rhett joked, lightly. The look on Link's face told him that now wasn't exactly the time to be telling jokes. "I'm sorry, dude. I just hate seein' you like this."

"I can't help it, man." Link sighed, frustration clear on his face. He leaned back against the wall, letting Rhett's arms slip from his waist to turn toward the window where the gray clouds loomed, ominously, over them, like a promise of destruction and death. It was a long time before Link continued, pulling his lithe legs up to his chest and allowing a few stray tears to stain his cheeks. "It's scary, huh? How quickly our world can change? It's like whatever force is in control has been planning this for as long as they can remember and we're the only ones surprised by it. Like we're susceptible to their control no matter how much we don't want to be. It's like you say about the multiverse theory and, in our universe, the higher-ups decided to make this one a boss level."

"Link-" Rhett began, but he was cut off by the brunet speaking again.

"Rhett, this isn't a game, I know, but it's starting to feel like a horror movie." Link said. "Like a horror movie we can't escape and I can't even begin to describe how terrifying that thought is. So, why? Why, out of all of the multiverses, are we forced into this one?! Why are we the ones who need to be put through this fucking hell?!"

"Hey!" Rhett said, lunging forward to pull Link to his chest again. "Hey, hey, Link, it's okay. We're okay."

"For now!" Link shouted, thrashing and trying to shove the man away. "What happens when we run out of food, Rhett? What happens when one of us is eaten or becomes infected? Are we just going to pretend like those things aren't likely to happen? Are we going to pretend like everything is okay?!" Link ceased his frantic movements as he collapsed, defeated, against Rhett's solid chest.

"No, Link, you're right, okay?" Rhett soothed, running his hand through Link's messy hair. "You're right, everything isn't okay, and we're not going to pretend that it is. But, if you don't pull it together, we won't last longer than a week. I need you, Link, and if you go down, so do I."

Link's gaze softened as he stared up at the man. He shook his head and looked away from him, again. "You- I'm no help. Look at me, Rhett, I'm a mess and it's only been two hours. You don't need me, I'll just hold you back."

"No." Rhett said, harshly, making Link look at him. "Don't you dare say that, Link, I need you so much. If it weren't for you I'd probably be dead already. You have this subconscious hold on my life. Like, every time I'm about to do something stupid, you're there to talk me out of it. God forbid I lost you, I wouldn't live another day the same way ever again, that is if I could even survive without you. So don't you tell me that I don't need you, Charles Neal, because I do. Always have, always will."

Link had to close his eyes, briefly, to blink away the tears. He pressed his nose to the collar of Rhett's button-up shirt and took a deep breath. "Thank you."

"Shh." Rhett whispered, letting Link hide his face. "I know you're afraid, but I know you're strong. I know it. Can you be strong, now?"

Link nodded, slowly, lifting his arms to grip the fabric on the back of Rhett's shirt. "Yes..."

"Okay." Rhett said, smoothing his hand down Link's trembling back. "Okay, good."

They sat like that for a long time, the glow of the sun behind the clouds slowly disappearing as they allowed themselves to try and process the events of the day. On a normal day, they would just be arriving home from a day of filming, probably to be greeted with a frozen TV dinner or a can of soup, seeing as they both lived alone, but they would do anything to have that mundane evening in that moment.

"We should track our supplies." Link finally said, breaking the extended silence. "See what we have, how much we have, and what we need."

"Good idea." Rhett agreed, allowing his mind to let go of the crippling fear of the situation. "I'll check the break room, you check the upstairs kitchen?"

"Okay."

They spent hours taking inventory of their food and water supply. The faucets were still running, as well as they had been in the drought-crippled city before that day. Although, they couldn't rely on that to always be a steady water source, so Link filled as many containers with water as he could to keep a stash for when their bottled supply ran out.

Rhett discovered they had enough canned food to last them a full month and perishable pantry items, like bread, peanut butter, and chips, to last a week. They decided to start with the perishable food. So, for dinner, they had peanut butter sandwiches and split a bottle of water.

Outside, the moans of the undead could be heard. As a temporary mode of protection, Link helped Rhett push a few desks in front of the doors to the outside world, in hopes that would keep them safe for long enough to figure out their next move. 

"We should sleep in the loft." Rhett suggested. "Be high up just incase anyone- or anything- gets in while we're asleep." It wasn't a pleasant thought, he even tensed as he said it, but he and Link both knew that would be the safest option, at least for the time being.

"Yeah." Link nodded, softly, in agreement. "Yeah, good idea. I actually found some metal bats in the prop closet while I was lookin' for food. Maybe we should, uh, keep those with us?"

"Sounds like a plan." Rhett nodded, uneasily. The idea of having to use that bat in the middle of the night was terrifying and slightly nerve-wracking. If he was the one to wake up, should something happen, it would be his responsibility to protect Link. Which wasn't a bad thing, but it did make Rhett's stomach turn over a little.

When they'd finally blocked off all the windows in their office, Link stripped himself of his shirt and jeans.

"Whoa, dude, you're not gonna sleep in the nude, are ya?" Rhett asked, consciously keeping his eyes trained to Link's face. "'Cause we have clothes in the prop room if you need-"

"I was just gonna sleep in my boxers." Link cut him off, rubbing the back of his neck. "But, if it makes you uncomfortable, I can put on a pair of shorts."

It shouldn't bother Rhett. They've been completely naked around each other before, so sleeping in the same bed, in their underwear, shouldn't be weird. Although, something was different between them. Rhett couldn't pinpoint exactly what, but it felt as though their level of intimacy had increased significantly.

"No." Rhett said, despite himself. They didn't need things to become awkward now, of all times. So, instead of just letting Link sleep like that, he began to strip down to his boxers, too. "It don't bother me, brother."

Link smiled, kindly, at his best friend before hauling himself up the ladder to the mattress above. He was followed, closely, by the blond who collapsed next to him in exhaustion.

"Today was rough." Link admitted, rolling over to face Rhett. "I'm sorry I freaked out."

"Come on, man, we're witnessing the apocalypse unfold right in front of us." The taller man sighed, putting a hand on Link's shoulder, gently. "I'd be more worried if you hadn't freaked out, at least a little bit."

Link chuckled softly. It was really amazing how, even in this time of absolute horror and destruction, Rhett could still make him laugh.

Rhett smiled at the sound. For a while, he'd been worried he would never hear it again, whether it would be because he and Link were separated or because the weight of the world would crush the brunet's spirit. But there it was, light and clear as that morning had been before the chaos had begun.

Once they were silent again, Link closed his eyes and leaned into Rhett's gentle touch. He took in a deep breath and willed the events of the day to go away, if only for a little while. Letting the air out through his nose, Link opened his eyes to stare into the green ones across from him.

"Good night, Rhett." He said, quietly, pressing the side of his face into the pillow.

"G'night, buddyroll." Rhett whispered, letting his hand slip off of Link's shoulder and onto the mattress between them. "See ya in the morning."

It was a normal thing to say, usually, but this time it held more meaning. It was a promise that they would both wake up, together, and healthy the next day. A promise that he, Rhett, wasn't going anywhere and he wouldn't let anyone, or anything, hurt either of them.


	2. It's Hard to Explain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some things are easier to explain than others.

The next morning was sunny and windy. The sound of the breeze whipping against the window panes echoed through the small loft, rousing Link from his sleep. As he opened his eyes, the light caused him to flinch and pull the blankets up over his head. It took him a few moments before he was able to open his eyes completely, but when he did his muscles froze. The events of the last 18 hours flooded back into Link's mind, like a broken dam.

Vivid visions of the creature, burned into the back of his eyelids, and the sounds of agony he'd fallen asleep to the previous night, the groans and screams of terror as the Undead sought out the living. It occurred to him that he hadn't felt fear when he fell asleep, rather a strong sense of protection in the form the solid body of his best friend right next to him. The sudden absence of Rhett struck him like a train, and panic began to set in.

"Rhett?" Link called, sitting up to find their office empty. The boards over the windows were untouched, so it was unlikely the man had been attacked by an Undead in the middle of the night. "Rhett?!" This time, he said it a bit louder, hoping the blond would answer. "Where are you?"

There was no answer, just the sound of the wind outside, blowing harshly against the window. "Oh god, no." Link mumbled, throwing the covers from his body and hopping out of the bed. "Please, please, please..."

Ignoring the fact that his clothes were strewn along the ground, Link quickly made his way down to the break room. 

"RHETT!" Link yelled into the empty hall.

Rhett's head peered out from the doorway of the break room. "Link?"

"Jesus, you think you could have woken me up?" Link asked, running over to his best friend.

"I t- oof!" Rhett gasped, catching the small man in his arms as he collided with his chest. "Jeez, Link, are you okay?"

"O-Of course, I'm fine." Link mumbled, quickly, pulling away from the taller man. "You left and didn't wake me. I was just worried that-"

"I tried to wake you up, but you seemed like you needed you rest." Rhett said, putting a hand on Link's arm. "So, I let you sleep. Now, why don't you put on some clothes and come have some breakfast?"

"You made breakfast?" Link asked, making his way to the prop room to put on some fresh clothes.

"Well, kinda." Rhett admitted, calling to the prop room across the hall. "I made some toast with that weird vegan butter we had in the fridge."

"Gross, man." Link grimaced as he emerged from the prop room in a pair of blue jeans and a gray sweater. "That stuff's nasty."

"Hey, I'd rather get rid of that than go through all the good stuff and be stuck with it later." Rhett said, handing Link a plate.

Link took it as his stomach growled. "Well, I'm so hungry, anything will do, I guess."

Rhett laughed and sat on the counter, across from his best friend. "You could look at it that way."

Link downed the vile, faux-dairy spread and tossed the paper plate in the trash so as to avoid actually tasting it. Rhett, however, seemed to eat slower, letting his thoughts take over and distract him from the fake butter.

The silence was comfortable. The groans had stopped long before they'd awoken, the bright sunlight having rounded the Undead back into hiding. Link could feel the calm, but he remained alert. Any sound that didn't match the mundane day noises received a head turn so quick it would blur.

"Will you relax, man?" Rhett said. "You keep makin' me jump."

"Sorry, 'm just..." Link trailed off and sighed. "Just nervous, I guess."

"It's okay, dude." Rhett said. "It's not like this is normal."

Link let out a bitter laugh. "Gosh, you can say that again."

They went silent again, letting the howling wind fill the space. Rhett leaned back against the cabinets, closing his eyes to the sights around him and just listening. He heard the wind and the birds rustling around outside, two sounds that were so familiar yet so out of place in their current situation, danger and fear clutching their every action they did or word they said. Rhett tried hard to redirect his train of thought, focusing on other sounds around them. He heard the sound of the heating system kicking in, which helped him relax a bit. The loud clanking of the radiator meant they had heat and power. If they had power, than that meant the outbreak hadn't spread to the power plants. Yet. If, or when, it did, all contact with the outside would disappear, leaving them to ask question after unanswerable question, never being able to find closure on people they loved or places they knew. Rhett had to take a drawn out breath to throw the thoughts from his mind. His hands gripped, subconsciously, at the edge of the counter as he tried to focus on something, anything but the thought of this epidemic destroying everything they'd built and loved. Suddenly, his ears honed in on a sound that brought an immediate calm to his body. A familiar sound he'd heard nearly everyday for the past 32 years. Link's slow inhales and gentle exhales filled his ears and Rhett could only sync his breathing to his best friend's. He could feel his heart rate slowing down and settling back to normal as he let his mind wander. If he could hear Link's breathing, then that meant Link was there and alive, with Rhett, and nothing was going to break that. Not this outbreak, not the fear that came with it, and certainly not themselves. Hearing Link's breathing meant Link was there and Rhett didn't have to do this alone.

"What are you thinking about?" Link asked, cutting into Rhett's thoughts, in a quiet whisper.

"You." Rhett replied, without any hesitation, opening his eyes to look at his friend. "And how much it'd suck to not have you here with me."

Link's blush wasn't hidden, but Rhett didn't comment on it.

"I guess I'm pretty lucky to have you here, too." Link joked, leaning back in his chair. "Although, i could've made a better breakfast."

Rhett laughed. "Good, 'cause you gotta make us lunch."

"Dang it." Link chuckled in mock-inconvenience. "I didn't think that one through."

Rhett chuckled and shook his head.

When they finally decided that they should probably do something productive, the two agreed to use the spare plywood they had in the shop to board up the first and second story windows. 

They worked quietly, playing some music on Rhett's phone to avoid letting their thoughts wander to topics unwelcome. They talked about random things, like the weather and latest celebrity stories, ignoring the fact that social media had been quiet since the previous afternoon.

"Hey, it's getting pretty dark out." Link observed, nodding toward the one window they hadn't boarded up yet. "We should call it soon, brother."

"Sure thing, man, let's just finish this last window and we'll have some dinner." Rhett said, lifting their last full piece of plywood to the window frame. He winced slightly at the weight behind it, using as much of his leg muscles as he could.

"Hey, man, gimme that thing." Link scolded his friend, taking the thin expanse of wood from Rhett's hands. "C'mon, I don't want you hurtin' yourself."

Rhett just nodded, helping Link as much as he could without injuring his back. He hated that he was so limited in his movements, but he knew Link was right. If Rhett threw out his back, there's no telling how he would end up. Or Link, for that matter. 

"There." Link said, pulling Rhett from his thoughts. "That should do it, for the time being." He added, placing his right hand on his hip and using his left hand to wipe his brow of the sweat that had gathered there.

Rhett was entranced in the movement which, though small, was very distracting. "Mhm." He simply grunted in agreement. His eyes refused to leave the line of Link's forearm and, for the life of him, Rhett couldn't blink.

"You okay, man?" Link asked, pushing his dirty hair back into some semblance of its usual style. "Why're you staring at me like that?"

"Huh?" Rhett tore his eyes away from their perch on Link's muscles. "Ah, nothin'. Just thought I saw some dirt on ya. It was nothin'."

"Oh." Link said, nodding carefully. "Well, I think I'm gonna shower, if that's alright?"

"Sure, dude, go ahead." Rhett nodded, avoiding Link's gaze. "I'll take one after you."

"Okay." Link said, slowly, as he put his hand on Rhett's shoulder. "You sure you're okay, man? I didn't mean anything by it, I just don't want you to get hurt-"

"What? No, no, Link. That's not- It's fine. I understand." Rhett smiled at Link in appreciation for his concern. "I'm just tired."

"Why don't you lay down?" Link suggested, pulling his hand away. Rhett's heart constricted at the loss, but he kept his facial expression blank. "I'll wake you up when I'm done in the shower."

"Okay." Rhett agreed, walking Link to the small shower in the bathroom across from their office.

As he laid, quietly, on the loft bed Rhett let his eyes close and his mind wander. 

They'd boarded up all they could, so they were fine. They were gonna be okay. Right? So, why did Rhett feel so strange? He and Link were able to keep themselves safe, so why did it feel like they were forgetting something?

Then, it hit him: the crew. They were still out there, god-knows where, doing god-knows what to stay alive and here he and Link are, taking showers and eating real food. He couldn't help the feeling of guilt and responsibility that crept up on him. The crew had been a part of their lives since they'd moved out to LA and they just left them for the Undead. How could they apologize for that one?

"Shower's open if you want-" Link stopped in his tracks, using a towel to dry his hair while another was wrapped around his waist, loosely. "Rhett, man, are you okay?"

Rhett sat up, raising a hand to his face, only to discover he had tears staining his cheeks. "I-"

"You're thinkin'." Link said, quietly, hauling himself up to sit next to his best friend. "Stop."

"But the crew-"

"We'll find 'em." Link said, finality dripping from his words. "We ain't just gonna sit here and do nothing. We just need another day to gather some resources before we can do anything. We go out there, naked as the day we were born, there ain't no way we're makin' it more than ten feet."

"You really think we can do that?" Rhett asked. "I mean, we ain't the fightin' type, man."

"Those kids need us, Rhett." Link said, his tone becoming harsh as he straightened up to stare into his friend's eyes. "I don't know about you, but I'd slash a hundred of those things before I let them die."

Rhett clenched his jaw. His heart ached because, well, Link was completely right. He'd be damned if he was gonna sit back while those things attacked his friends, and he'd be damned if he was gonna let Link go after them alone.

"You're right." Rhett said. "We'll see what we have, weapons wise, in the morning. Then, we head out."

"There's the Rhett I know." Link said, a devilish grin on his face. "Now go shower, you stink."

Rhett chuckled and shoved Link away from him as he hopped off the bed and went to the bathroom across the hall. 

Tossing his shirt and jeans to the counter, Rhett grabbed fresh towels from under the sink. He stared at himself in the mirror, taking in the bags under his eyes and his, soon to be unruly, beard. He scrubbed a hand down his face before tossing his boxers off and into the basket by the door. 

The water was cold, but he didn't complain. At least they had running water, still. He had no idea how the rest of the city, or world, was faring. As Rhett let the stream flow over his shoulders, his mind wandered to Link. An image of his friend lifting the plywood board, muscles bulging under the thin tee shirt he'd been wearing flashed in Rhett's mind. Scrubbing his hands over his own arms, soap suds forming on the freckled skin, Rhett's head dropped back against the wall behind him. He had no idea where the image had come from, but it wouldn't go away no matter what he did. 

It wasn't the first time something like this had happened, but Rhett found the timing of this particular fantasy a bit off-putting.

Shaking his head, he hastily focused on finishing his shower as quickly as he could. He didn't like being alone with his thoughts as much as he used to.

Once he finally finished drying his hair and putting on a fresh pair of clothes, Rhett made his way down to the break room. 

"Hey, Link, what d'you want for-" Rhett stopped when he entered the room, taking in the sight before him. Link was standing at the counter, shirtless, in pair of skinny jeans that hung low on his waist and, from what the blond could tell, he'd opted to not wear any boxers.

"Oh, hey." Link said, turning to face him. "I figured we could have cereal for dinner? Since the milk is gonna go bad soon."

Rhett tore his eyes away from the line of skin above Link's waist and met his gaze. "I can't have-"

"I used almond milk." Link said. "Tossed the other stuff. Considering you can't have dairy anymore, I didn't see the point in keepin' it around."

"You coulda had it." Rhett said, surprised that Link had even remembered his, recently discovered, dairy sensitivity. 

"That wouldn't have been fair. You feel bad enough about not bein' able to have the stuff." Link said, hiding his slowly reddening face from Rhett. "'Sides, don't make a difference to me. Cereal is cereal, man."

"Guess so." Rhett said, trying to catch Link's gaze again. When he did, he smiled at him and took one of the bowls. "Thanks."

Link's cheeks grew slightly pink and he let a small smile grow across his lips. "No problem."

Rhett didn't break eye contact as he hopped onto the counter next to Link. "Sit with me, man." He said, patting the empty space next to him.

Link hopped up next to his friend and bumped his shoulder, affectionately. 

"Why're you shirtless, brother?" Rhett chuckled, starting in on his cereal.

Link laughed, but blushed as he pulled his shirt from the counter and back onto his torso. "I think something's up with the heat. Got real hot all of a sudden."

"I'll check the thermostat later." Rhett said. "'Least we got heat."

"Yeah." Link sighed, letting a silence fall over them. After a while he started to talk again. "I hate to think of them out there all by themselves."

Rhett nodded. The crew had only been on their own for a day but Rhett felt like he hadn't seen them for weeks. "I just hope they're together."

"Yeah, man." Link said, shaking his head. "I can't imagine going through this without you."

Rhett turned to look at Link and nodded in agreement. "Me neither, brother." He sighed. "If you weren't here, I'm pretty sure I'd be dead."

Link flinched, shoving Rhett before taking their empty bowls to the sink. "Don't say shit like that, man."

"I'm just bein' real, Link." Rhett said. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Link stayed silent, rinsing out the dishes before drying his hands on a paper towel. 

"... I just don't wanna think about you dyin', man." Link said after a long silence. 

Rhett walked over to his friend, turning the man around to look at him. "I'm right here, Link. I ain't goin' anywhere."

"I know." Link said, quietly, nodding and looking toward the ground. "I know, Rhett."

"Hey, look at me, bo." Rhett said. The rare pet name caught Link's attention, causing him to meet Rhett's gaze. "We're gonna do this together, okay? I ain't lettin' us get separated."

"Okay." Link nodded, staring up at his best friend. "I trust you."

"And I trust you." Rhett said. "I don't think I've ever trusted anyone more, actually."

Link smiled at him and shook his head. "You're so cheesy, man."

"I'm serious." Rhett laughed, putting his hands on Link's arms. "I trust you with my life, Neal."

Link's smile faded. He let his eyes roam over Rhett's features, searching for any shadow of a doubt. When he didn't find any he caught the taller man's gaze, again. Rhett wasn't looking at Link's eyes, though, he was entranced in staring at the man's lips. Subconsciously, Link's tongue darted out to wet his lips as his eyes flicked down to Rhett's parted lips.

Link didn't realize he was leaning in until Rhett closed his eyes and lowered his head to meet him. He, too, let his eyes drift shut as Rhett's hands slipped to his best friend's waist to pull him closer.

When their lips brushed, at first, it was as though they'd been shocked, sparks jolting between their bodies. Letting out a soft gasp, Link's fingers gripped at Rhett's arms as the taller man surged forward to catch his lips, fully.

What was probably mere seconds felt like hours, years of pent up emotions spilled forward in one heated kiss. Link's lips seared with want as he slowly let his fingers drag over Rhett's cheek.

Suddenly, the sound of harsh banging and terrified screaming startled them apart.

"Rhett! Link! Anyone, help!" One of the voices was screaming while the other was sobbing a string of "oh god, they're coming!"

It only took a moment for Rhett to catch Link's eyes, but everything seemed to be in slow motion. That is until the taller of the two broke into a run toward the door.

"Rhett!" Link yelled, following after him. "Rhett, wait! How do we know-"

"It knew our names, Link!" Rhett yelled, skidding to a stop and beginning to drag the desk away. "Link, they knew our names! C'mon, help me!"

Link hesitated for a moment before taking hold of the desk and pushing it away from the door. Tearing the heavy metal door open, Link stepped back as two bodies flung themselves inside, kicking the barrier closed again. Rhett quickly shoved the desk back in front of the door to keep it, whatever the two were running from, out.

There were a few long moments of heavy breathing until Link finally looked down to see two shaking beings, clutching tightly to their chests, one with a tattered beanie and another with a torn band tee shirt covering his husky torso.

"Mike? Alex?" Rhett asked before Link could say anything.

Alex was the first to cease his harsh breathing. "Hi." Was all he could manage because, really, what else could he say in this situation? 

Link quickly ran to get them water and sweatshirts, seeing as they were both shivering and pale. "How did you guys get back here?"

"We were cornered in an alley not too far from the studio." Mike said, taking a long sip of water before he continued. "Lost Stevie and Lizzie way back by the pier."

"Dang." Rhett said, quietly. "Well, thank god you two found your way back. We've been worried sick 'bout you."

"We wouldn't have made it back here if Alex hadn't found that old boxcutter." Mike said, motioning to a small black object in Alex's palm. "It was like they had one of the Undead, like, patrolling us at all times."

"So they have the mental capacity to protect their food source." Link said, putting a hand to his chin. "Interesting."

"How'd you get past 'em with that dinky thing?" Rhett asked, motioning to the boxcutter. 

"They've got a weak spot." Alex piped up. "It's not a headshot with a gun, like in TV and movies, it's a slice to the back of the neck. Deep."

"Of course." Link said, beginning to pace the room, slowly. "A cut like that would sever the vertebral arteries in the brainstem, which connect the brain to the rest of the body. Cut that and the Pituitary can't communicate with the rest of the glands. Basic function would be impossible after that."

Alex glanced at Mike, a look of confusion on his face that matched the one on his friend's.

Rhett, however, seemed to have been following along perfectly well. "So, what you're telling me, is that these Things are just brain dead humans who aren't fully brain dead?"

"I dunno." Link mumbled, leaning against the wall. "It would make sense to call it that, but how does something like that even happen?"

"Basic human thought and memory seem to disappear when they turn into one of these Things, but their sensory and motor reflexes remain completely in tact." Rhett said as though he was simply solving a complex math problem.

Mike remained confused, but watched the two in awe as they worked through an explanation. Alex sat up against the wall, finishing his water as he listened closely, trying to pluck any words he recognized from his freshmen biology course in college.

"But how can that be unless-" Link stopped, a look of realization dawning on his face. "Unless they don't feed on brains..."

"Exactly- Wait, huh?" Rhett raised a brow, finally shifting his gaze to Link. "Ya lost me, man."

"Think about it, what if they don't eat the whole brain? What if they eat parts of it?" Link said, like he'd just figured out the final piece to the puzzle. "I mean, we eat raw fish, but there are certain parts of it you can't consume, right? What if it's the same idea?"

Looking around at the confused faces, Link sighed and thought his way through before relaying what he was trying to say.

"What if, when they capture a victim, they only eat the main portion of the frontal lobe, the temporal lobe, and the parietal lobe? Also known as the portions that; separate good and bad, aid in visual memory, store knowledge of relationships, and comprehend perception of space and objects. If those portions of the brain disappear, then all that's left is-"

"Primal instinct and voluntary muscle movement." Rhett finished, understanding and pride washing over his face. "Link, you're a genius!" He cried, grabbing his friend by the arms and hugging him close.

Link yelped and wrapped his arms around Rhett. "I wouldn't say genius-"

"Link, you just scientifically explained zombies." Rhett said, looking the man in the eyes. "I dunno 'bout you, but that's pretty impressive to me."

Link blushed slightly, staring up at his best friend. "Thanks..." He said, holding the sides of Rhett's arms. The taller's hands settled on the other's slim waist, pulling him closer.

Rhett had the sudden urge to kiss Link into a stupor, and he nearly did. That is to say, he would have had Alex not interrupted. 

"So, we know how it happens and why, but what do we do with this information?" He said, standing up. "I mean, it's not like there's any TV or radio stations running right now."

"We'll figure out a way to tell people." Rhett said, decisively. "This could save lives, guys. We gotta get it out there."

"And when would we do that?" Mike asked, pushing himself up to stand with Alex.

"Rhett and I were gonna search for weapons around the building so we could go looking for you guys." Link said. "I say, we stick with that plan and find Stevie and Lizzie before we try to find some kind of national broadcasting station that's still, somehow, online."

"I agree." Rhett said. "You two need to rest before we do that, though. We all do."

"I think there's a pull-out couch in one of the third floor offices." Mike said. "We could take that."

Link nodded and leaned against the wall. "Rhett and I will stick with our office. If anything happens, wake us up."

"Yes, Dad." Alex said, chuckling.

Link shoved him, warningly, as he chuckled. He shook his head as Alex and Mike made their way to the stairs. "I'm glad we have them now."

"Me too, buddyroll." Rhett smiled. "The more power we have, the faster we'll find Lizzie and Stevie."

Link nodded. He didn't say what he knew they were both thinking. He knew there was a possibility that they could be dead already, but he didn't want to think about that. He was in too good a mood for that.

"C'mon." Rhett said, taking Link by the hand and heading up to their office. "Let's go to sleep."

As Rhett got ready for bed, the gentle gusts of wind hitting, softly, against the window panes, Link laid with his eyes open and his hands folded on his chest. The distant sounds of groaning and screaming had become less frequent which, Link wasn't sure was a good thing. Although it did allow exhaustion to take hold of him a bit quicker than their first night. He turned and gave Rhett a small smile as the taller man climbed into the bed and under the covers next to him.

"Hey, Link?" Rhett said, after a long pause of the two of them staring up at the support beams in the roof. "About before-"

"Later." Link immediately cut him off, admittedly, a bit harsh. The brunet scrubbed a hand down his face, putting his glasses off to the said, at the taken aback look on his friend's face. "Sorry, I just- We have a job to do tomorrow and we should really get to sleep."

Rhett simply nodded and rolled over to face away from Link. His mind refused to leave him alone, replaying the feeling of warm lips on his own over and over again.


	3. Because I Have You

It was raining. That was all Link could think about when he woke up. It was cloudy and windy as the rain pelted against the bare windows in their office.

"Mornin'." Rhett said, laying flat on his back with his eyes still closed. "'S rainin'."

"Mm." Link hummed in affirmation. "It is."

They didn't say anything for a long time after that, Link's mind slipping in and out of sleep and awareness. He let his head loll to the side, catching Rhett's eyes. 

"I used to like rainy days." Link said. "But now rainy days just mean more groaning and screaming."

Almost as if on cue, the sound of one of the Undead gurgling made its way through the window. A shudder ran up Link's spine, his arms moving to run up and down the corresponding ones. "'S like nails on a chalk board."

"Yeah." Rhett said, sighing. "It's a bit unsettling, at times."

"What's unsettling is the fact that we have no idea what could be causing those noises." Link said, bitterly. "Could be pain, could be pleasure, we'll never know. But, by far, the most fucked up part is that, whether we can tell or not, the things making those noises are controlling our lives. Every move we make is influenced by those noises and we can't even tell the difference between an Undeads' groan of satisfaction and a Livings' shrieks of absolute terror. That's what's unsettling."

"Link, you're doing it again." Rhett said. "You're overthinking."

"Can you blame me?" Link asked, sitting up in bed. "It's not everyday you get trapped in an office building, hiding for your life from creatures that look like an extra off the Walking Dead."

"I know." Was all Rhett said, leaning up on his elbows to nudge Link's shoulder. "You have to stop doing this to yourself. The more you think the worse it'll get, man."

"You think I don't realize that?" Link sighed. "I just hate this, you know?" 

"I know."

* * *

There was a lot more to leaving the safety and comfort of the studio than they'd thought. There wasn't just finding a weapon and waiting for broad daylight, there was the fear and uncertainty. There would be death and agony hiding every which way they would turn. Nothing could stop these fears from plaguing Link's mind, nothing.

"You're thinkin' this time." Rhett's voice broke the brunet from his horrific thoughts. "I'm pretty sure we've talked about this."

"Yeah, well it's different this time, isn't it?" Link said, quietly. They were standing in the shop, surrounded by possible weapons, the taller of the two shifting through shelves while the shorter rummaged through a lone pile of wood and metal. "We're about to set out in search of two people, whom we're not even sure are alive."

"They're smart-"

"You keep saying that, but smarts get you nowhere if there's nowhere for it to take you." Link said, picking up a blunt slab of metal, pointed at one end. "Found something."

Rhett let his focus shift to the object in Link's grasp, nodding shortly. He couldn't help the feeling that the man was hiding something, something he was afraid to tell Rhett but something he didn't quite have control over. Something that could control his mind even when he tried so desperately to not let it. 

"There's a metal bat in our office." The blond murmured. "I can use that."

"You need something sharp." Link pointed out. "We'd need to saw off one end."

"So I will." Rhett said, turning to look at the man. "What's wrong?"

"Huh?" Link asked, finally turning to catch his best friend's gaze. "What do you mean?"

"You're off. What's wrong?" The blond pressed, stepping forward to catch the forearm of the hand holding the metal slab. Subconsciously, Link allowed himself to be pulled closer to Rhett, his breath hitching as the taller did so.

"Rhett-"

"I know you, Neal, don't tell me you're fine." Rhett said, already able to predict what the man was going to say. "If this is about-"

"Stop." The shorter cut him off, stepping chest to chest with him. Link's eyes searched Rhett's face for- something. He didn't know what, exactly, but it wasn't there either way. All he saw was concern and unadulterated domination in his eyes, the grip on his arm adding to the feeling of utter submission Link so badly wanted to unleash. He didn't want to think about that too much, although the thought of how it was so unbelievably sexy didn't fail to overcome his mind. It really wasn't the time, nor the place, to be doing this, feeling this. Link tried to clear his mind but the scent of the soap they kept in the work shower- cedar and teakwood- was emanating from Rhett's neck and the shorter had an uncontrollable urge to shove his face into the juncture of his collar bone and shoulder. 

Suddenly, the grip on his arm loosened and the sound of voices drew Link out of his thoughts.

"Y'all go 'head and shower. We'll leave later, when the sun is at it's highest." Rhett was saying as Link forced his breathing to even out. Alex was standing in the door, a look of slight confusion and knowing on his face.

"Right. Mike and I will make breakfast, too. Take- uh- Take your time." The younger said, tapping a hand against the frame of the door. He nodded at them and walked out of the room.

"What was that about?" Rhett asked, raising a brow.

"Uh..." Link coughed and shook his head. "No idea. I guess we should-"

"Link." Rhett said, catching his best friend's arm again. "This discussion isn't over."

"Now is not the time, Rhett." Link said, harshly. His eyes flashed with warning but he made no move to tear his arm away. "You and I- It's a bad idea and we both know it."

"You and I? That's a bad idea?" Rhett said, letting go of Link's arm again. "We're about to leave the safety of a cement-walled, fully stocked building to venture into an apocalyptic version of our world with make shift weapons and a premonition of a possibly fatal blow to the backs of these things' necks, that is if we can even aim properly, and you're scared about 'You and I'? The same 'You and I' that have known each other for 30 plus years and have shared practically everything together? That's what you're afraid of? Not the mindless, decaying, gurgling creatures lurking around outside?"

"Rhett, you know this won't work!" Link hissed, stepping closer. "Not now, it won't..."

"Don't say that." Rhett whispered. "We're gonna make it out of this just fine."

"How?" Link stared up at the blond. He didn't sound angry anymore, just desperate. "How can you say that so confidently, Rhett? We don't even know where to go after we leave here. Once those doors are open, with no one to bolt them behind us, there's nothing for us to come back to. We have to make it out there alone with no supplies."

"I'm not letting anything happen to us. Any of us. Okay?" Rhett said, pressing closer to the brunet. "I won't let anything happen."

"Right, because you know exactly how to survive a zombie apocalypse." Link said, sarcastically. "Face it, Rhett, one of us is gonna die. And if we let this- whatever it is- happen, that would just make everything a hundred times worse."

"I'd cry for you just the same." Rhett said, seriously. "How much I love you isn't going to change. If you died, I'd never survive."

"Of course, you would." Link spat, bitterly. "You were always the smart one. You always knew what to do, what makes you think this'll be any different?"

"Because I wouldn't have you, you idiot!" Rhett burst, throwing his hands into his hair. "You keep my head clear, Neal, and if I didn't have you I would be lost. I wouldn't be able to live with myself, man, you gotta believe me." 

"Well, excuse me if I find that difficult." Link said. "It's better for the both of us if we-" 

Rhett surged forward and hooked his fingers around Link's waist and pulling him closer, causing the smaller to gasp. "Tell me." He said, quietly. 

"What?" The brunet whispered, furrowing his brows. 

"Tell me you don't love me as much as I love you." The blond said. "That, if I died, you wouldn't miss me. That, if we weren't here together, you would be happier. That me telling you I love you means nothing. That these last 32 years meant nothing. Tell me."

Link was silent for a long time, staring up into Rhett's piercing green eyes. His heartbeat hammered in his ears and his own eyes welled with tears. He shook his head, taking a deep shuddering breath. "I can't."

"Then why are you fighting this?" Rhett whispered, cupping Link's cheek with his hand. 

"Why aren't you?" The brunet said, forcing the tears away once again.

Rhett paused a moment, choosing his words carefully. "Because, if the world is gonna end, the last thing I want to do is wonder 'what if we did?' You're afraid of all this, aren't you afraid of that?"

"Yes." Link admitted. "I am. Because I love you."

"Then kiss me."

He didn't really need to say it twice. Link was on him in seconds, desperately pressing his lips to Rhett's just as they had the previous evening. Their lips moved together, like before, but there was something different about it this time. There was a promise behind it, almost a vow that they would make it out of this alive and together. A vow that they would save their friends, no matter what it took. Rhett's hands held strongly to Link's slim waist, pulling him flush to his own body in an effort to convey his promise, his trust, to his friend. It was an 'I need you'. A 'we're going to be alright'. An 'I love you' of unspoken means. It was thrilling, though, in the fact that it was secret. No one would know, it was just fact, that this affair had begun. It would be inconvenient to the time and selfish to make this all about them. Then again, what affair was there to be had? They'd kissed, sure, but nothing was to come of it if they were going to be actively running for their lives for the next god-only-knows how long. Needless to say, it wasn't thought out very well and they had no idea what was to come next. Then again, when did they ever really think things like this through?

Link shoved Rhett away, gently. "I want this." He said. "You know I do, but this can't- we need to wait."

"Wait." Rhett repeated the word as though it had offended him. "Wait for what? Wait to die?"

"Don't do that." Link said. "You know what I mean. Neither of us have the time to handle a- whatever the hell this is- right now."

"And what do you want to do?"

"Wait for a better time?" Link said, sighing. "A time when we're not running for our lives?"

"There may not be a time like that." Rhett said, seriously, holding fast to the brunet's waist.

Link closed his eyes and sighed again. "You're the one who keeps saying we're gonna be okay-"

"I never said we wouldn't have to run." 

Link looked up at the blond, again. "And you still want this? This on-the-run bullshit, running endlessly for weeks, possibly months, on end? You still want that?"

"Of course, I do." Rhett said, looking into the piercing blue irises in front of him. "Do you?"

"Yes." And, with that, Link pressed forward into Rhett's tight grip. He kissed the man, slowly, curling the fingers of his free hand into the loose, fallen blond strands at the base of his skull. There was a tongue begging entrance into his mouth, and Link was close, so close, to letting it in until the taller stepped away at the sound of footsteps coming toward the room.

"We made breakfast." Mike said, stepping into the doorway. "Have you found anything?"

"Yeah, we're gonna grab something from the office quick and then join y'all in ten." Rhett said, passing the younger brunet in the doorway. "Make sure you guys eat a lot. We might need the energy."

"You got it, boss." Mike said, making his way back to the break room.

"We can't drag them into it." Rhett said as Link followed him up to their office to retrieve the bat. "They have enough to worry about. 'Sides, what would be the point?"

"Right." Link said in agreement, but he stuck out his hand to close their office door and get Rhett's attention. "And... we don't have enough to worry about?"

Rhett smiled, deviously. "We do, but we also have means of... release. Don't we?"

Link's face flushed as he stood in shocked silence while Rhett entered the office.

* * *

It was so bright. The sun was blaring down on them as though there wasn't anything lurking in the shadows between the buildings. It was as though the quiet snarling and gurgling coming from the alleys wasn't there.

"Why aren't they attacking?" Link whispered, holding up the shard of metal he'd come across only a few hours before. "They attacked on the first day in early afternoon."

"It's something about the sun..." Rhett said, quietly. "The first day was cloudy. Rainy. They weren't hesitant in the haze, but they're hesitant now. Why?"

"Can we wonder about this later?" Alex whispered, harshly. "I don't want to wait around to see if they're all afraid of the sun, please."  "Right." Link said, taking a tentative step forward. It was still, like sneaking around a slumbering lion. "Quietly. Where did you two last see Stevie and Lizzie?"

"Santa Monica." Mike whispered, following Link's tentative movements with the others. "By the pier."

"Water and high places." Rhett mumbled, almost to himself. "Of course. They're smart. It wasn't the best plan but it was the best for what they had. Lizzie and Stevie are, most likely, camping out on the pier. Probably nearest the edge so they either had a way to get rid of any of the Undead attacking or to have an escape route for themselves. That means they probably have weapons, so we need to be careful."

"Rhett, that's a stretch even for you." Link whispered, but made his way toward Santa Monica Pier, nonetheless. "How could you know they'd be on the pier?"

"I can't but it's a place to start, isn't it?" Rhett said, harshly. "If not, they took shelter in one of the office buildings before it became infested."

"Okay." Mike said, nodding. "Okay, fine. But what happens to us once the sun goes down?"

There was a silence. None of them had actually thought of that. They head out in search of Stevie and Lizzie and, if they can't find them or- god forbid- they're dead, what do they do? All buildings not sealed and boarded are bound to be crawling with the Undead, so that's out of the question.

"We do as Rhett said." Link pointed out, quickly, to avoid panic. In himself and the others. "We camp out on the pier and take turns having night watch. We've all got weapons." The elder brunet motioned to Mike's wooden bat with a kitchen knife jammed through it, Alex's metal tent stake welded to the head of a hammer, Rhett's sawn-off and jagged metal bat, and his own shard of thin metal, sharp enough to tear his shirt sleeve- as it had already done when he found it. "We can at least make it one night. 'Sides, Rhett and I did take the liberty of packing enough food for the four of us to live on for at least two days. Four if we ration it."

"Right." Rhett said, quietly. "We ain't lettin' y'all die, that's for sure. So let's focus on the task at hand for now."

"Find Stevie and Lizzie." Link said, hauling the metal up onto his shoulder and beginning to walk at a steady pace toward the beach. "If we follow the sand straight down, we should reach the pier."

"And if there's an Undead or two just lurking around you want us to...?" Alex asked.

"Take your weapon and slice the hell out of it's neck." Rhett said. "Don't think we'll see many by the water, though."  "Oh?" Link inquired, glancing at Rhett. "Why's that?"

"The outbreak began on the inland. These things don't know what water is, you said it yourself. Everything in their brains that doesn't have to do with attacking and eating has been rotted away." Rhett said. "They see a foreign substance or object, like water or even a fish, those suckers'll go runnin' for the Hollywood sign."

"Huh." Mike said as they finally made it to the beach and down onto the gravely sand. "Interesting." 

"What?" Link asked.

 "You two work all this out so well." Mike elaborated. "You're so calm, it's... nice to be around at a time like this."

"Well panicking isn't gonna do much, is it?" Link said, absently. "Focus your attention on anything but the harsh truth and it won't break you. Mentally, anyway."

"Link's right." Rhett said from ahead of all of them, the quiet roll of the waves as soothing as an earthquake. "You boys can't think too much or you'll fall victim to the Undead without them even needin' to touch ya."

"Are you saying that these things could drive us crazy?" Alex asked. 

"No." Link said turning to face the two younger men, stopping them in their tracks. "It's not that they 'could'. It's that they will and, unless your psyche is somehow stronger than the average human's, I suggest to start worrying about the right things. I say this with utmost concern, to protect the both of you, look at the 'what's not the 'if's."

The silence was thick, only filled with the sound of the taunting waves and the squawk of seagulls overhead. Link's stance didn't falter, he didn't blink, asking merely with his eyes if they understood. Mike and Alex simply nodded.

"Good. Now, find some firewood." Link instructed picking up dried grass from the dunes at his feet as kindling for the fire. "It's mid-December and, despite us being in southern California, nightfall brings more than just the Undead. It brings cold. Hypothermia is the last thing worth worrying about."

Alex glance at Mike. Link was taking command, which was strange in and of itself, but he also held this constant air of fear. One might compare it to when he and Rhett were forced to eat something particularly disgusting in a 'Will It' episode. It seemed so out of place under the circumstances, but also so fitting to the jittery man. His eyes had bags under them, leading Mike and Alex to believe he hadn't slept much. Although, that wasn't very strange in this situation, it seemed off-putting. Rhett was silent, but they could see a change in him, too. He was quiet, a lot more than usual, letting Link do a lot of the talking. Something was different, almost as though they were looking to each other for the answers, except neither of them had them. It was like watching two new parents silently battle over who had to check on the wailing infant. 

Once they’d gathered all the firewood they were able to, Alex helped Mike lay out the blankets they'd brought to sleep on. The air was turning colder, the waves rougher, and the sun dimmer. Link’s hands were shaking as he fed the fire and heated the cans of carrots and beans they'd packed for the night. 

“Let me help.” Rhett said, taking the tin can from Link’s grasp. “You cold?”

Link shook his head, watching Rhett open the can and place it on the cross-hatched logs they were using as a grill. “Fine.”

“You’re sure?” Rhett turned to look at Link, catching his wrist discretely between his fingers. “I have a spare sweatshirt.”

The brunet blushed and smiled, gently. “Maybe later, big guy.” He said, pulling his hand away and letting his fingers slide against the blond’s palm. “Thanks.”

Rhett simply smiled at him and nodded. “Sure.”

The night was quiet, for the most part. They took turns keeping watch, although nothing ever came. Alex first, then Mike followed by Rhett and, finally, Link. The groans from the inland were muffled by the sound of the waves and breeze rustling the dunes. Alex and Mike laid, heavily sleeping, one their blankets while Link stirred on his own. The sky was full of stars, the light of the sun just beginning to bleed into the blackness, when Link woke up to take Rhett’s current position and man the final guard.

“You can go to sleep.” The brunet said, sitting down next to Rhett on the dune. “I’ll take it from here.”

“Don’t think I could sleep if I tried, brother.” The blond chuckled. “Too much goin’ on up here.” He tapped, vaguely, at the side of his head. 

“I feel ya, man.” Link sighed, lifting his weapon onto the sandbank next to him. “Doesn’t do much good to worry, but we just can’t help it sometimes.”

Rhett nodded, looking toward his friend. “You’re the last person I’m worried about.”

“Oh?” Link asked, curiously. “Why is that?”

“One usually doesn’t worry about the person who keeps them sane. In their mind, that person is stronger than them.” Rhett said, looking toward the sky. The sky was becoming more orange and yellow than blue. The sun was coming up. He tilted his head and took a breath before adding; “Braver than them.”

“I’m not brave.” Link said, quietly, staring at Rhett. 

“You’re braver than you think, Link.” Rhett said, softly. “You don’t see what I see, and I see the man who walked into my life and gave me the incentive to, literally, survive an apocalypse. No one could ever convince me that that ain’t brave.”

Link laughed, softly, looking up at Rhett. “You’re brave too, ya know.” He said, leaning into the blond’s side. “More so than you give yourself credit for.”

“I’m brave because you make me brave.” Rhett whispered, not tearing his eyes away from the sunrise. “I’m brave because I have you.”

Link paused a moment before reaching up and taking hold of Rhett’s chin, turning his face toward his own. Without hesitation, the shorter leaned forward and planted his lips against his best friend’s. When he finally pulled away, Link stared into Rhett’s eyes.

“Prove it.” He whispered. 

“What?” Rhett asked.

“Prove we’re brave.” Link said, sitting up on his knees and holding Rhett’s face in his hands. “Prove that you believe in that, that you believe in us.”

Rhett didn’t ask what he meant, he didn't need to, he simply placed his hands over Link’s and pressed their foreheads together.

“I will.”


End file.
